Dancing toy



Feb. 16, 1937. G, s, KNlCKE-RBQCKER I 2,071,129

vDANCING TOY File d Feb. 16v, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 16, 1.937. s.s. KNlcKr-:RBOCKER I 2,071,129

DANCING TOY Filed Feb. 16, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 #Hom Py Patented Feb.16, 1937 PATENT OFFICE DANCING TOY George S. Knickerbocker, Minneapolis,Minn., as-

signor of fifty per cent to James G.Bem1ett,

Minneapolis, Minn.

Application February 16, 1935, Serial No. 6,906

Claims.

This invention relates to a toy device and particularly to a toy4 devicecomprising a figure adapted to dance.

It is an object of this invention to provide such 5 a toy device whichcan be very easily, quickly and inexpensively made.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such` a toy devicecomprising a platform and a figure vhaving pivoted leg portions withfeet substantiallyy engaging said platform, the platform being adaptedto vibrate to cause said figure to dance and said'iigure being somounted that it may jump on said platform.

kIt is still another object of the invention to provide a ytoy devicecomprising a base, a platform, a gure and means resiliently supportingsaid platform and ligure which are quickly detachable from said base andfigure so that all parts may be compactly packed for transportation.v Y

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fullyset forth in the following description made in connection with theaccom- 4 panying drawings, in which like reference char- 2 acters referto similar parts throughout the several views and in which:-

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the toy device; Fig. 2 is a view in sideelevation thereof; y F'ig. 3 is a top plan View of the device with theligure removed;

Fig. 4 is a partial view of the gfure and sup.- porting means in rearelevation; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the figure-sup l porting member.

Referring to the drawings, a toy device is shown comprising a base I0.While this base may be variously formed and made of various materials,in the embodiment of the invention illustrated it is shown as a board orplate substantially rectangular in form with slightly rounded cornersand of considerable thickness so that it will have some weight. Saidbase has secured to its under side four buttons II which will preferablybe made of rubber or some other suitable yielding material. The base I0is shown as having a substantially at top and a pair of aperturedmembers I2 are secured in said top adjacent the forward portion of saidbase, said members being alined transversely of said base. Whiledifferent members may be used, members I2 are illustrated as staplesdriven into said base. A pair of headed members I3 are secured in thetop of said base in the rear respectively of members I2, said membersprojecting some distance above the top of said base.' A member I4 isprovided made of a resilient wire or rod, said member having sub'-stantially parallel portions I4a having terminal Darts IMJ ofcomparatively short length, said parts being bent substantially at aright angle to extend away from each other. The parts Mb are detachablyor removably received in the members I2 and portions Ida are then sprungto extend along the outside of members I3, being held under theheadsthereof. Member I4 is thus firmly secured to base I0 but may bevery quickly detached therefrom. Members Ilia extend rearwardly frommembers I3 above base I0 for a considerable distance and are thenreversely bent to extend forwardly over said base, said portions` beingunited by a bight or curved portion Illc. A platform I5 is provided andis secured to the upper parts of members Ilia. by the staples I6.Another pair of apertured members I'I are secured in the rear of base I,the same being alined transversely of said base and while these membersmay take various forms, in the embodiment of the invention illustratedthey are also shown as staples driven into base Iii. A member I8 isprovided macle of a resilient wire or rod, the same having' spacedportions Ia resting on base I0, said portions having terminal partsv Ibof short length bent substantially at right angles to extend away fromeach other. Portions |81)` are received in members I1. Portions I8a aremoved toward each other against the resiliency of member I8 and are thenallowed'to separate so that portions Ib are kept in place. Portions l8aeX- tend upwardly and somewhat rearwardly from base Il) and then haveforwardly extending portions I8c. Portions I8c are then bent upwardlysubstantially at a right angle and are joined by a bight IBd. A figureI9 is provided formed of rather thick sheet or plate-like material.While figure I9 may take vario-us forms of animals and other creatures,in the embodiment of the invention illustrated it is shown as the figureof a man having arm portions I9a with his hands Ib resting on his hips.Said figure has thigh portions ISc, each having a tongue portion ISdreceived in a slot in the body portion of the figfure. ASaid body andtongues I9d are pivotally connected by pivot members 2D. Said thighportions i at their lower ends are pivotally connected to the legportions ISe, the latter having tongues I9f received in slots in thelower ends of portions ISC and connected thereto by the pivots 2 I. Theleg portions ISe are each provided with a comparatively large footportion Ig, the lower surface of which is normally substantially incontact with the top surface of platform I5. The

figure I9 has secured in its rear upper portion three headed members orscrews 22 and the biglht portion Id extends over the top member 22 andis sprung to have its side portions resiliently engaging the other twomembers 22. Said bight portion Id is held beneath the heads of members22. The platform I5 has a substantially at top and has a projectingnarrow front I5a.

In operation, with the toy assemblied as shown in Fig. l, the operatorwill press down on the front portion I5a o-f the platform I5 and thenrelease the same quickly. 'Ihe platform is depressed against the tensionof member I4 where it is bent at the rear. Platform I5 springs upwardlywhen released and vibrates rapidly due to the resiliency of member I4,said vibrations beingl substantially vertical. An efficient vibration issecured by having the member I4 extend quite a long distance to the rearso that long resilient arms are obtained for supporting platform I5.V

In its upward movement the platform strikes the feet I9g and the figureI9 is given an impulse, causing it to vibrate due to the resiliency ofmember I8. 'Ihe figure bends about the pivots 20 and 2| and dances onthe platform I5. The portion I5a can be engaged and released by theoperator in rhythm with a certain tune and the taps of the feet onplatform I5 will also keep time or be in rhythm with the tune. The gurethus dances or clogs to music. When a direct impulse is given to thefigure when it is in the straight position as shown in full lines inFig. 2 the figure is moved upwardly, moving member I8 which swings aboutthe axis of portions I8b as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Thegure thus simulates a jump on the platform which greatly heightens theeffect of its dancing. This function is, as stated, made possible byhaving member I8 pivoted to swing rearwardly. The figure is balanced sothat it immediately returns to the position with members I8a. in contactwith base member I8. Such jumping occurs at intervals during the dance.

The member I4 is quickly removable from the base member I0 by springingportions I4a and removing them from engagement with members I3 and thenremoving portions |42;` from members I2. When secured in position asshown member I4 is firmly held due to its resiliency and there is nomovement to cause any noise while the figure is dancing. The member I8may also be quickly removed by pressing portions I8a together andremoving portions I8b from members I'I. Member I8 can also be quicklyremoved from figure I9 by pressing together the sides of the bightportion I8d and releasing it from members 22. With members I4 and I 8thus removed the toy can be packed in comparatively small space so as tobe conveniently placed in a box. The position of the figure in havingits hands on its hips is desirable and important as it apparently addsto the diiiiculty of the dance.

From the above description it is seen that applicant has provided a verysimple and easily operated toy. 'Ihe parts are of simple construction Yand can be readily assembled and disassembled.

The operation of the figure in dancing is very entertaining and amusingand the platform l5 can be vibrated in different frequencies togivedifferent steps to the gure. The figure is decorated and painted tosimulate an attractive costume which gives a great appeal to the toy.The device has been amply demonstrated in actual practice and found tobe very successful and efcient.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made inthe form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts, withoutdeparting from the scope of applicants invention, which generallystated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects aboveset forth in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and definedin the appended claims.

What is claimed iszl. A toy device having in combination, a base, aresilient means secured to said base, a platform secured to saidresilient means and supported in substantially horizontal position abovesaid base, a resilient member supported by said base and upstanding fromthe rear portion thereof normally resting thereon but pivotally mountedto swing rearwardly and having a forwardly extending portion and afigure supported by said last mentioned portion and depending therefromhaving portions pivotally connected about substantially horizontalpivots, said figure having footportions substantially engaging saidplatform whereby upon vibration of said platform and resilient meanssaid figure will dance and may jump by said member swinging rearwardly.

2. A toy device having in combination, a base having a substantiallyflat top, a pair of members having openings secured to said base alinedtransversely thereof adjacent its front portion, a pair of membershaving overhanging portions secured to said base in the rear of saidmembers, a platform supporting member made of a resilient wire or rodhaving substantially parallel portions with terminal parts removablyreceived in said openings, said portions being sprung to engage saidsecond mentioned members and retained in such engagement by theirresiliency, said portions extending rearwardly and being reversely bentto extend forwardly over said base member, a platform carried by saidportions spaced above said base, means supported on the rear of saidbase and extending upwardly and then forwardly at a slight angle to thehorizontal, a gure suspended from said means having leg portions pivotedabout substantially horizontal pivots whereby said platform and firstmentioned member may be vibrated with substantially vertical vibrationsand said last mentioned means will vibrate said figure substantiallyvertically so that said figure will tap said platform with greatfrequency and Y said first mentioned member and platform may be quicklydetached from said base.

3. A toy device having in combination, a base having a substantiallyiiat top, a pair of members having openings secured to said base alinedtransversely thereof adjacent its front portion, a pair of membershaving overhanging parts secured to said base in the rear of saidmembers, a platform supporting member made of a resilient wire or rodhaving spaced portions extending longitudinally of said base withterminal parts removably received in said openings from the adjacentsides of said first mentioned members and held in said openings by theresiliency of said portions, said portions being sprung to engage theremote sides of said second mentioned members and disposed under saidoverhanging parts, said portions extending rearwardly and beingreversely bent to extend forwardly over said base member, a platformcarried by said portions spaced above said base, a pair of spacedmembers having openings secured to said base and transversely alined atthe rear thereof, a member made of resilient wire or rod havingsubstantially horizontally disposed portions resting on said base, saidlatter portions having terminal parts removably and pivotally receivedin said last mentioned openings from the adjacent sides of said lastmentioned spaced members and held therein by the resiliency of said lastmentioned member, said portions extending upwardly and then forwardly, afigure suspended from said latter portions over said platform, saidiigure having sections pivoted about substantially horizontal pivots andhaving foot portions substantially engaging said platform whereby saidfirst mentioned member and platform can be quickly detached from saidbase and said second member may be quickly detached from said base.

4. The structure set forth in claim 3, said gure having a plurality ofheaded members secured in the rear thereof, said second member havingsaid portions thereof extending forwardly thereof connected by a bightwhich extends over one of said last mentioned members and has its sidessprung to engage other of said last mentioned members whereby said gureis detachably connected to said second 'member and may be quicklydetached therefrom.

5. A toy device having in combination, a base, a resilient means securedto said base, a platform secured to said resilient means and supportedin substantially horizontal position above said base, a resilient memberpivoted about a horizontal axis at the rear portion of said base, saidresilient member normally resting on said base and having an upwardlyextending portion and a for# wardly extending portion projectingtherefrom, a gure supported on said forwardly extending portion anddepending therefrom, said figure having substantially horizontal footportions substantially engaging the top of said platform whereby uponvibration of said platform said first mentioned member will flex andvibrate owing to its resiliency and said figure will dance, said firstmentioned member occasionally swinging bodily about said axis with saidfigure giving the eifeot of a jump by said figure.

GEORGE S'. KNICKERBOCKER.

